Combination-switch.



A. F. WISE.

COMBINATION SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1914.

Patented 01.1.12,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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vII. F. WISE.

l COMBINATION SWITCH.

` APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. 1914. 1,156,121. j y Patented 001121915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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ALV'IVA WISE, or COLUMBUS, omo, AssIGNon, BY DIRECT AND MEsNE AssrefNrv'niNrs,l

OF 01\T }l-IEIA]Z}r TOHARRY C. DUNNING AND ONE-HALF TO CHARLES E. DENNIS,

Borri or CoLUMBUs, oHIo.

To all whom it. may concern.'

Beit known that I, Anvm VIsE, a citi-V particularlyL adaptable to thej ignitioncir-` cuit of motor vehicles.:

The essence of my inventionresides in the provision of' a Yswitch inwhich'a* number of `movements' are YVnecessary to effect a closure and these movements control mechanism to which the operator/does not normally have access. It is, therefore, my aim to provide the lauthorized'manipulator of the switch with the correct combination of movements and through these movements only may the switch bev closed.

The main object of my invention resides in the provision of a plurality of switch devices all adapted to be electrically connected, one of the members forming these switch devices being-movably mounted with respect to its complemental member. is then provided for giving a 'lostmotion connection between the operating dial and these movable switch members. All ofthe switch members forming-a` .portion-of each of the switch devices are so mounted and arranged with .respect to their` lost motion- .construct the device that it maybereadily applied to a motor vehicle in a convenient4 position for the operators manipulation. By providing this structure in which it is necessary that a predetermined order of movements are necessary, the use: of a key or similar types of circuit closing means is dispensed with.

-Other objectsl of my invention' will become m'ore'ap'parent after adetailed description of the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts, and in which:

F igurel is a central vertical section of my A` structure COMBINATIGN-SWITCH.

Specicaton of Letters Patent. n Patented Oct, 12, 1915,

Appiicationmedaprnri,1914. seriaiNesaae'. i

combination switch, Fig. 2 is a section taken on line2-2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the di-r rection of the arrows, Fig. 3 is a detail side elevation, partially in section, of a ratchet wheel forming a portion of each movable switch member, Fig. 4 is a frontview. of

the structure shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 5, 6 and 7 are detail views in perspective ofthemain portion of thel clutch struct-ure used by me, F ig.: 8 is a top'plan view of my switch member showing theV casing in section, and, Fig. 9.r is a facevie'w of the structureshownA in Figs. Y

In illustrating my'invention, I haveshown the lsame embodied iny such structure that i it may be readily and rconveniently vapplied to the dashboard of a motor vehicle. However, theimanner'in which it is mounted does o Y not form .any portion of this invention, as it mustbe apparent that the device is applicable to all electric circuits adapted to be opened and closed.. In the drawings, there is shown a face member 1,preferably of circular form and being provided with a shoulder portion 2. Uponthis face member is adapted to be mounted all of the controlling mechanism and the sameisthen inclosed in a metallic casing such as is shown at 3. The face member l is also centrally apertured to rotatably receive a shaft 4 rigidly carrying a dial member 5 by means of the cotter pin 6.r This dial member is shownmore clearly in Fig. 9 and 'is providedv with a plurality of linger openings 7 concentrically arranged about the periphery and each of y these apertures is desirably associated with some reference character, such as the numerals shown in Fig. 9.- `The face member lis also'provided with a stop 8 which may be used asa reference point in operating the switch. y v

' The switch'itself is preferably comprised of a plurality of switch devices,each formed between'stationary and one relatively movable member. The number of these switch devices' is immaterial, as it is evident that, as their numbery increases,v the diiculty 'of operationl also increases.' The movable members forming a Vportion of all of these switches are' mounted upc-n the shaft- 4, while the stationary members are rigidly carried bythe stationary frame structure conned within the kcasing-.3. This stationary frame structurels preferably formed of some insulating material, such as the portions 9 and 10 held between the inner face of the face member 1 and an inner disk 11 by means of a plurality of bolts 12. This inner disk 11 is also centrally apertured to give a bearing for the inner end of the shaft L1. Upon the upper member 9 of the supporting framework, are mounted a plurality of stationary contact arms 13, the arrangement being such that a contact arm projects downwardly from each side, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2. The first of these contact arms is in electrical connection with what may be termed the service wire 14. This first set, together with the remaining sets of contact arms, are connected to each other by means of the wires 15 and 16 clearly shown in Fig. 8. Cooperating with these stationary arms 13 are two relatively movable switch arms 17 carried by blocks of insulation 18 and ultimately in control of a central shaft Ll. These movable switch arms are located apart distances lcorresponding to the location of the stationary arms 13 and the two arms forming veach yset are electrically connected to each other by means of a wireor cross strip 19 shown `in Figs. 2 and 8.

In order that the movable switch members may be temporarily held in any adjusted position, I have provided a ratchet wheel 20 of the type shown in Figs. 3 and l for each switch device. These ratchet wheels are provided with a plurality of apertures 21 any one of which may accommodate the pin shown at 22. Further, these ratchet wheels are all centrally bored and are provided with elongated hubs such as shown at 23. These wheels are all mounted in the relation shown in Fig. 1 to coperate with balls 211 normally pressed toward the ratchets by means of springs 25 confined within a suitable housing structure such as is shown at 26 as being carried by the lower member 10 of the general framework. The hub portions 23 are provided to give a firm bearing of the ratchets upon the shaft 4, but it is to be understood that these ratchets are rotatably mounted upon this shaft. All of the metal parts adjacent any of the contact arms are securely insulated by means of the bushings 27 and the disks 28 and 29. This structure prevents the jumping of the current from one portion of the mechanism to another. Coperating with each of the ratchet structures, is a collar member designated by numerals 30, 31 and 32 shown in Figs. 5, G and 7. All of these collar members are .rigidly mounted upon the shaft 4 and are each provided with cut-out p0rtions 33, these cut-out portions varying in length. In their assembled relation upon the shaft 1, the cut-out portions 33 of the collar members are -caused to engage the pins 22 yon each of the ratchet wheels 20. Tt will thus be apparent that as the shaft 4 is rotated by rotation of the dial 5, the pins 22 are successively brought into engagement with one of the shoulders formed by cutting away of the portions 33. After sufiicient rotation is given the shaft, all of the ratchet wheels 20 may be in motion at the same time. However, should the direction of rotation be reversed, the switch device to the left of Fig. 1 will come into motion first because of the collar member 32 having the smallest cut-out portion 33. Continued rotation will bring the second switch member into play and finally the switch member to the right of Fig. 1, will be given motion.

From the above description, it will be apparent that a known order of movement of the operating dial 5 will be necessary. A detailed operation of the device is as follows: The dial 5 is given a rotary motion a distance sufficient that one of the switch devices will come into operating relation. In other words, the stationary terminals 13 and the movable terminals 17 are both in clectrical engagement. This is because the pin 22 of the first switch has come into engagement with one of the shoulders formed by the cut-away portions 33 formed in the member 30. After the first switch member is in its correct position, reverse movement is i1n parted to the dial 5 and the cut-out portion 33 of the collar member 30 is long enough so that the shoulder at the opposite end of this clutch portion does not come into en gagement with the pin 22 on its respective ratchet, but asimilar engagement by the pin 22 is had on the succeeding ratchet. In other words, the pin 22 on the succeeding ratchet is engaged by the shoulder of the cut-out portion of the collar member 31 and the second movable switch portion is then given a rotary motion to the exclusion of the first one already set in operative position. The required movement in this case may be three or four or five notches on the ratchet, as the case may be, depending upon what aperture 21 the pin 22 is located in. After the second switch device has been brought into its operative position, the motion of the dial 5 is again reversed and the last switch device is closed by a similar arrangement of the pin 22 on the remaining ratchet with the shoulder formed by the out out portion 33 in the collar member 32. However, it is necessary that the operator know exactly how many spaces each movement should have, for it is obvious that if, after-the first switch device has been closed, too great a movement of the dial 5 will again cause its disengagement. The combination of movements may be changed whenever desired, by changing the position of the pins 22 in their respective apertures. By meansof the spring pressed ball 24, `the ratchets may be all temporarily held vin their positions with a sufiicient degree of rlli security to withstand such shocks as may be common -to motor vehicles.' The combination of movements may further be changed by adjusting one or more of the collar members 80, 31 and 32 upon the central shaft 4;. When all of the switch devices are in their correct positions, a current may enter through the lead 11i and into the first of the stationary yterminals 13 of the first switch. At this point this current enters one of the movable contacts 17 of the first switch and through the wire 19 to the other movable contact elementl of the same switch.- Here it is transferred to the succeeding switch by means of the wire 15, passing through the same arrangement of contacts Y and finally into the last set by means of the wire 16. At this point, it may return by means of the wire 34. After the wires leave the casing 3, they are usually confined within a metallic tube or other tamperproof construction, but this latter feature Y has not been shown.

Vhat I claim, is:

1. A combination switch Y comprising a plurality of switch devices, each switch de- Y vice includinga rotatable switch member, a

central shaft upon which said members are loosely mounted, means for temporarily holding said members in any position, a collar for each switch device rigidly mounted on said shaft, and lost motion connecting means between each collar and its respective switch member so that each collar may be given a partial revolution without rotating its switch member, said connecting means being arranged to have dierent amounts of lost motion.

2. .A combination switch comprising a plurality of switch devices, each switch de- Y Copies of this patent may be obtained for vice including a rotatable switch member, a shaft upon which said rotatable switch vmembers are loosely mounted, and a lost motion connecting means between said switch members and said shaft so that said members are loosely mounted, a collar for each switch device rigidly mounted on said shaft, all of said collars -being provided with a cut out portion said cut-out portions being of varying sizes, and a pin connection between each. of said cut out portions and the respective switch members. 4. A combination switch comprising a plurality of switch devices, each yswitch device including a rotatable switch member, a ratchet wheel forming' a portion of each switch member, a shaft upon which said ratchet wheels are loosely mounted, `a spring pressed ball engaging each of said ratchet wheels to temporarily hold them in any position, a collar for each switch member rigidly carried by said shaft, each of said collars being' provided with a cutout portion, and a pin carried by each ratchet adapted to enterthe cut-out portion of said collars. In testimony whereof l affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

i ALVIA F. VISE. Witnesses:

VALTER E. L. BooK, A. L. PHnLrs.

iive cents each, by' addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

